Where We Belong
by nikki-of-stormhold
Summary: Blake Collins is a tough, un-sentimental Director with his motives clearly marked- until a new student and her situation force him to re-assess what is important to him. Her problems become his- not least the fact that she can't dance....
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Happy Birthday

(This is for you, Twannee)

"Denny, would you please put your shoes on?" Elodie took her little brother's plate and plonked it in the sink. She was late for school for the second time this week, and Denny was in one of his difficult moods this morning. He was only four- five next week, and had just joined school himself. Both of them were right in the middle of their 'new start,' one of many they had faced together in the last few years. Denny was all Elodie had, and she his whole world. Her move to MSA had been tough, but it was a good school, and Denny' school was just down the street from her so she could check on him if she needed to. Sometimes she would nip out in her lunch hour to watch him in the playground, just to make sure he was still there. Today he was being difficult- neither of them had gotten much sleep due to the drunken rave next door. Their flat was tiny and the walls were very thin, and added to the general selfishness and bad habits of their neighbors, sleep was not easy for either of them. Denny looked up at Elodie and grinned.

"I'm sorry, Elle, here." He handed her a tube of colored paper, which she took from his chubby fingers.

"What's this Den?"

"It's a present for my big sister, cos she takes care of me. Mrs. Monroe helped me to make it yesterday."

Elodie smiled. What was ten more minutes when she was already this late? She unrolled the paper and a picture fluttered onto the table. Denny had drawn the two of them, and stuck a photo underneath. It showed them on the roundabout at the park, and then feeding the ducks. Denny hugged her waist.

"Happy birthday Elle. Love you." Elodie looked at the ceiling and hugged him back. She swallowed the lump in her throat and grasped the picture tightly.

"I love you too, Den. Thanks for my present. It's beautiful."

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"You are late again," Miss Williams said sternly. "By almost half an hour."

Elodie slammed her bag down and tried to catch her breath.

" I know, I'm sorry, my little brother…. The bus was late…."

"It's not good enough Elodie. Director Collins wants to see you."

"Am I in trouble?"

Miss Williams looked at her over her half moon spectacles.

"Perhaps you should go and find out before you give him any more reason to be."

"Great," Elodie thought as she traipsed out into the hallway. "Called to the director's office a week and a half into term." Director Collins hadn't been around at the start of term, and Elodie had never met him. She knocked on his door and waited for an answer. He was on the phone she could hear, but he called her in and ended the conversation. He was not a bit like she had expected. He was young- much younger than his reputation conveyed him to be, and vaguely attractive for a teacher. He was leaning back in his office chair, looking troubled.

"Ah, Miss Garett?" he asked, looking down at a file on his desk.

"Yes, that's me." She stood awkwardly in front of his desk picking bits from the spine of one of her folders.

"Am I in trouble?"

He looked up at her blankly.

"Why would you be? Is there something I should know?"

She shook her head, realizing that he had not called her there because of her punctuality issues.

"I am taking some time this week to get to know all of our new students, especially those on scholarships, as I believe you are?"

She nodded again, sitting down as he gestured to the seat opposite him. He looked down again at her file, which she noticed was fairly thick.

"So you are nineteen- today?"

"Yeah, that's right." She looked just past him, avoiding eye contact.

"And you have joined us from Washington. Your scholarship was based upon your academic achievements and your acting and singing abilities. Tell me Miss Garett, do you dance at all?"

Well that question was bound to come up some time or other, however much she had hoped it would not.

"No, not really. I did ballet as a kid but I kept falling over. Got no balance. Mum pulled me out of classes because of the bruises." He laughed quietly.

"Well we'll see what we can do about that then. After all, our aim here is to give all of our students a varied and well-rounded education in the arts as well as the academic subjects. Your parents' names have not been listed on our files- can you…"

"My parents are not around." She cut in. "It's just me and my little brother. My mum is in Montana and I have no idea where my father is." Might as well get the disapproving stares out of the way now- that way they wouldn't dig too much if she misbehaved or fell ill. Director Collins looked at her for a moment.

"Well In that case who can I name as your next of kin?"

She thought for a moment.

"My aunt, she lives in Washington. Drusilla Fox." Elodie read out her aunt's telephone number, hoping and praying that he would never try to ring it. If anyone contacted Drusilla she would not hesitate to take Denny back to Washington, and that just could not happen. For his sake and for hers.

"Ok, well thank you, and now I think you had better get to class, time is getting on." He closed her amended file and put it in a drawer under his desk. She nodded and stood up. She turned to leave his office and turned her mindset to wondering how long she could keep this up. Looking after Denny, paying for their flat, bills, food and clothes, whilst trying to keep her studies going at MSA. This was such a great opportunity, and for now they were happy. How long could it last this time?

"Miss Garett?" she paused as she reached the door.

"Yes?"

"Happy birthday," he said quietly.

"Thank you," she said, smiling.

Perhaps there was a chance this time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Different Sides of Town

Elodie tore open the envelope impatiently, already agitated because she had spent ten minutes trying to get into her flat. The lock was being difficult lately. She tugged the cheque out of the semi- shredded envelope and snorted.

"Nice one mom, very generous."

She threw it onto the table beside the door and screwed up the envelope, throwing it with a little too much vigor. It hit the tiny TV and rolled onto the floor where she left it. Her mom sent maintenance money every month from Montana for her two children, always a cheque in an envelope. Never a note or a letter. This year she had forgotten Elodie's birthday- she was surprised she remembered her existence at all. For the past two years Elodie had faked birthday cards to Denny from his mother, believing that he should live out at least his childhood in blissful ignorance of his mother's uncaring in-acknowledgement of his existence. She had left Elodie three years ago with her two year old brother to care for, with only a week's worth of nappies and some Sudocrem to manage on. Admittedly she had left the fridge and the cupboards full, with the bills and the rent paid until the end of the month, and she had come to an agreement with the landlord so that her daughter and son could keep the flat for a reasonable rent fee, but Elodie's anger had not subsided in the slightest over the past three years. Perhaps she was being unfair- her mom hadn't known about Denny and had suffered severe depression at his birth. Elodie had looked after him from the day he was born, her mother being perfectly happy to have nothing much to do with him. But that was not valid as an excuse for never coming back, for abandoning them both and moving to Montana to be with her new boyfriend's family. If she did not need the cheques to pay the apartment bills every month then Elodie would have torn them up and sent them back. Not that she knew where her mother lived.

"Denny, you ready to go to Paulie's now?" she yelled through to the kitchen where she could hear her little brother chattering away to himself.

He came running in with his backpack crammed full, and took her hand. They had a handy arrangement with Paulie, the neighbor from the flat next door. Elodie would run errands for Paulie, to the shops or post office, or do her ironing sometimes in exchange for babysitting services whenever they were needed. Paulie was lonely and loved having Denny, and Denny had grown quite attached to her. Once he had been delivered next door Elodie made the short walk to work. She was lucky to have found 'Jack's' as quickly as she had- after all, singing in bars beat washing up in their kitchens. It was quite useful, as going to MSA on a music scholarship she needed to keep her voice in order, and singing four nights a week at 'Jack's' could even be passed of as an odd sort of homework. The bar was full tonight- full and loud. She was a little late, and the band that played before her were just stepping down from the platform.

"There you are! I thought you weren't going to show!" Jack, the man who lent his name to the place, hustled her to the edge of the stage and took her coat.

"Get up there quick lassie, there's folk in here that need music to keep 'em from misbehaving."

Jack was a nice man, and his wife, Ali, sometimes sent Elodie home with food from the kitchens to give Denny the following evening. The evening passed quickly- Elodie sang in three blocks of twenty minutes, a mixture of blues, jazz and some random or requested stuff. Jack was right, there was a definite sort in the bar tonight, the wrong sort. On the way to fetch her pay cheque and coat in order to leave as soon as she could, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. It was Chase Collins. He looked angry and troubled, and stood right in the middle of a crowd. Out of politeness Elodie made her way over to him, suddenly aware that a fight had broken out behind her. Turning to face the commotion, she noticed an extraordinary array of objects being tossed around and used as makeshift weapons. One of these was a table, and after being uprooted and lifted high into the air, it made its way at high speed towards Chase's head. Seeing the oncoming disaster and recognizing the damage that it would do, Elodie threw herself at Chase, deducing that it would hurt less if she hit him rather than if the table did. In a blur the two of them were on the floor, table landing with a loud clattering where Chase had formerly stood. Sitting up, Elodie looked at Blake. He sat next to her looking shocked and confused.

"You ok?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

He looked at her unsteadily.

"Er… I think so. You… did you jump on me or something?"

"Dude, that table was gunning for your head. You'd be out cold with your brains fallin out if that chick hadn't dive bombed you." A helpful member of the public saved Elodie the embarrassment of having to explain what had happened.

"Serious?" Chase rubbed his arm, which appeared to be bleeding fluently.

"Well I don't just tackle people to the ground pointlessly," she said, slightly annoyed at his attitude. "Your arm is bleeding, and there is glass in it. You'd better get to a hospital."

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"Elodie! There's a man at the door!" Denny yelled from the hallway. It was kind of early for visitors, especially on a Saturday. Elodie shot to her feet imagining all kinds of things, and ran to where Denny stood swinging the door to their apartment to and fro.

"Denny, I told you hundreds of times, do NOT answer this door, that's my job…." She trailed off as she noticed who stood in front of her. Director Collins smiled slightly at her reprimanding of her younger brother.

"It's you," she said dumbly.

"Er, yes, it is me. Expecting someone else?" he asked politely.

"Well not you…"

"You wanna come in?" Denny asked, tugging the edge of his jacked slightly.

"Denny…"

"Is it ok if I do?" Mr. Collins asked, looking at her straight.

"Er, yeah, I spose." She stepped aside, dragging Denny with her as Director Collins passed them into the tiny hallway.

"You two here on your own?" he asked, looking around at the walls which were covered in Denny's drawings.

"It's just us. We live here on our own."

Director Collins looked slightly shocked and was silent for a moment. Elodie decided to break up the awkwardness a bit.

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked, letting go of Denny as he fought to get to his crayons.

"I'm fine thanks. I just came by to thank you."

"Thank me?"

He chuckled.

"Surely you can't have forgotten already. It's my brother who should have memory loss, after having a table thrown at him."

Understanding dawning, Elodie went slightly red and looked at her feet.

"I came by to thank you for saving the stubborn idiot from severe head injuries. I heard about your tackling him to the ground just in time to miss the table. I don't know what he was even doing there- its not the kind of place I'm happy with him associating with."

Elodie did not know what to say.

"Well, you're welcome, I guess."

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but I was also told that you were singing there. Do you do that often?"

Elodie stiffened.

"Yes. Four times a week. Why?"

He frowned.

"Well, that must be compromising. What about your studies? You are on a scholarship at MSA- surely you must find that difficult in terms of time management."

"Not really."

"Its not a nice place though, is it. I mean, how many other MSA students hang out there? It's the wrong side of town, the bad side."

So that was it. The self righteous son of a bitch was here to ask her to stop blackening the name of his school, and to stop marring his reputation.

"And who takes care of your brother whilst you're there?"

Red light.

"How dare you." She narrowed her eyes and stood up straight.

"You know nothing about me, or my brother. For your information, I think you'll find if you check your meticulous records that I am a straight A student and have been for the past few years, regardless of what I choose to do with my free time. I have to sing to earn money because my useless mother is to busy bumming around Montana with her hippi boyfriend to look after us. I'm sorry if your precious brother ventured into _our_ side of town and got himself into difficulties, and I'm even sorrier I risked my own common, good for nothing ass trying to make sure he got back to _your _side of town alive."

Director Collins tried to speak but she cut him off.

"Denny and I are just fine without your posh, twinkletoed lot judging us. Please leave." She moved to the door and held it open. He stood where he was for a few seconds, a muscle in his jaw twitching, then walked slowly past her, pausing in the doorway.

"I expect to see you in school on Monday, where you will assume your normal manner of addressing me, and we will continue this conversation when you have calmed down."

With that he left and she slammed the door.

What a git. He had gotten right under Elodie's skin, and she had let herself go. All for the sake of his stupid brother.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Compromise

"You ok?" Andie asked carefully as Elodie threw her shoes into the corner of the dance studio.

"Spiffing," she replied, looking with distaste at Director Collins as he strode into the room. Andie followed her angry gaze and looked worriedly at Director Collins. He looked equally as hassled and angry, but did not, deliberately it seemed, look in their direction. Instead he rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt and turned his attention to the music centre in the corner of the studio.

"Look, what's going on between you two?" Andie said, gesturing towards him.

"He's a complete bastard. That's what's going on. I don't want to talk about it." Much to Elodie's relief she did not have to talk about it, as Director Collins strode swiftly to the mirrors and turned to face them.

"You have had plenty of time to stretch. Anyone who has not done so efficiently has only themselves to blame if they injure any part of their anatomy- it's your choice as what I consider to be keen dance students as to whether you stretch or sit around gossiping. Now get into pairs and I want five minutes of corner warm ups." He jerked his arm out and slammed the music centre remote so that classical warm up music filled the studio.

"Jeez, who stole his dummy this morning?" A tall, dark haired girl muttered as she passed Elodie and Andie.

"You wanna pair up? Chase is 'recovering' from his little scratch last night and he's my usual partner."

"Sure." Elodie moved into the corner behind the rest of the waiting pairs alongside Andie, suddenly glad of her somewhat persistent efforts to be kind and friendly.

"What are we actually doing?" Elodie asked, craning her neck to see what was going on with the warm ups.

"You've never done corner work before? Leaps and stuff?" Andie asked, surprised.

"Nope. I have almost no dance training."

Andie looked worriedly over at the sulking director.

"Does he know that?"

"I assume so." The two of them stepped forward- they were next In line. Director Collins watched intently, his arms folded, as Elodie stood rooted to the spot, watching Andie leap and spin from one corner of the studio to the other without her. He flicked his wrist again and the music stopped.

"Miss Garett, any particular reason that you feel you cannot join Miss West in these warm ups as I instructed?" he asked, an almost satisfied smirk on his face.

"Yes, a simple one. I can't dance."

"Nonsense. Everyone can dance if they are taught properly.

"Then teach me. I thought that was the whole idea." She narrowed her eyes and kept eye contact with him as a muffled snigger crept around the room. His jaw twitched again as it had done the night before.

"A word please, outside." He turned on his heel and strode from the room, slamming the remote onto a table as he went. Elodie looked at Andie weakly.

"Its ok, he did this to me on my first day and we're…. almost friends now…." She tried her best at an encouraging smile as Elodie swallowed and walked slowly from the room. Director Collins stood square in the hallway, tugging angrily at his shirt cuff to get it to conform to his requirements. Elodie watched in silence for a moment.

"I thought we agreed last night that you would acquire some manners before addressing me again in class." He did not look at her, but continued to wrestle with his cuff, which in his annoyance had gotten twisted somehow.

"No, you snapped at me like a piece of crap with a Hitler attitude. That's not an agreement."

"Tell me, Miss Garett, what makes you think you can speak to the director of the school that has given you a scholarship like that?" At last he looked at her, knowing that he had this to use as power over her attitude.

"If you'd stop judging me and trying to make me look like a moron for one second I'd be as nice as pie to you." Elodie stood her ground, used to standing up for herself.

Blake took a deep breath and looked at her through narrowed eyes. All the arguments with his brother lately had robbed him of any inch of patience that he might have previously possessed.

"Get back in there and do what I damned well tell you to do until the class is over. Then I want a letter of apology on my desk by four o'clock this afternoon."

"I'm nineteen years old. You can't make me write lines for crying out loud."

Blake began to make his way back into the studio.

"You, Miss Garett, are skating on very thin ice." He slammed his way through the doors, leaving her alone in the corridor. She decided that it was probably best to re-join the class- never in her life had she had a detention, let alone an expulsion. She couldn't afford to let this guy rattle her like this.

She slipped in quietly as the rest of the class were performing various ballet moves to music. Blake strode in and out of them moodily, watching and commenting bluntly. Elodie re-joined Andie, who dragged her into a corner and tried desperately to get her to force her body into the right position before Blake reached them. It didn't work- he just frowned and continued walking. When it came to more difficult ballet elements, Elodie felt so out of her depth that she almost left. This was almost impossible, and despite Andie's desperate efforts to help her Blake was making no allowances for the fact that Elodie had not set foot in a dance studio for ten years. He stood and watched her attempt at a pirouette, deeply dissatisfied.

"Do it again," he ordered. She tried again but lost her balance slightly. Red-faced and very aware that most of the class were watching her, Elodie tucked a stray clump of her dark hair behind her ear.

"And again." She looked at him incredulously.

"Seriously?"

He nodded.

Again she tried and failed.

"Again."

"Blake…" Andie said quietly.

"Director Collins, please Miss West. She does it until she gets it right."

She swallowed again, her legs aching and her back feeling like it was about to break.

She tried to remember all that Andie had told her in ten minutes, and attempted again to pirouette. Losing her balance she slipped and fell to the floor, landing on her wrist. A sharp pain went right up her arm and she didn't move for a few seconds. Pushing past Blake Andie knelt down beside her and asked her if she was ok. Elodie sat back on her knees despondently and cradled her arm, which hurt so much it was difficult to speak.

"I don't think I'm cut out for this," she said very quietly, swaying dangerously. She had never been any good at dealing with pain, and completely unaware of all those in the studio around her, she closed her eyes and everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

White Flag

Andie sat cross legged on the end of Chase's bed, playing with the zip on one of his many cushions. He leaned back against the wall opposite her, looking distractedly out of the window. It was raining outside, but the air was heavy and humid, so they had opened all of the windows in a vain attempt to let in some air.

"You think she'll be ok?" Chase asked, still looking out of the window.

"Yeah, apparently it was a really bad sprain, but it's not broken. If she had fallen a little more to the left…."

Chase was quiet.

"I feel really bad."

"Why?" she touched his leg gently.

"Because I wound him up and he took it out on her. It sounds like she's had a really bad time, she didn't need this."

"It was Blake's decision over how he acted in that class, and from what I hear the tension between those two was already present beforehand. Something to do with the incident at 'Jack's' the other night. Don't blame yourself; he seems to be very tense at the moment. What's going on with you guys anyway?"

Chase took Andie's hand and their fingers entwined. He looked really down- she had never seen him like this.

"We just…. Don't seem to agree on anything right now. All we do is argue. If I say black, he says white. I have no idea what's wrong. I don't think it's me- I have really tried over the past few weeks. He's just so tense and highly strung. The other day I came in from practice and he yelled at me for no reason…"

Chase trailed off, staring at their joined hands.

Andie thought for a moment. She had noticed a difference in Director Collins for sure, since the summer break. But Chase was not, she was sure, the cause of it.

"Babe, I really don't think it's you," she said in a quiet voice. He looked tired and harassed.

"I know. But I hate seeing him like this. He can be an real arse, and I can't stand him as a teacher, but he's my brother and living in a house with him, I can't stand to see him all wound up all the time. It's like he's really hurting or something."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"Nah. It would end in tears. Probably mine."

They sat for a while in silence, listening to the rain, and Andie cuddled up to Chase.

"Where is he now?" she asked, snuggling into the crook of his arm.

"He went out. Didn't say where to."

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Elodie sighed as a knocking sound came from the hallway. She did not want to see anyone from MSA and could not think who else it could be- Paulie was away for the weekend. She was about to try to go back to sleep when she heard the door latch go.

"DENNY!"

Before she could get up and grab her brother he charged into the lounge and dive bombed her.

"It's for you!" he yelled, cuddling her.

"Denny, what did I say about….."She looked up over the heap of baby brother that had her plastered to the couch and saw none other than Director Collins standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Er, Denny, why don't you go clear up your room a bit? That would make me a very happy big sister."

He scrambled off of her and rolled onto the floor, stopping briefly to stare at Director Collins before tearing off to his room. Elodie stayed where she was.

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Blake had not thought out what he was going to say- he only knew that he could not leave it any longer and had to put things right. All the way there he had wrestled with himself, driving far too fast and not noticing anything around him. She had not been into school for two days- had she really meant what she'd said? It was his fault. He'd been so unprofessional, taking out his anger and frustration on a new student, an easy target. Upon entering the flat he wondered if he was doing the right thing. She was lying on the couch, her brother having flattened her, and did not look very well. She wasn't wearing any make up and was wearing- rather ironically, he thought, slouchy dance pants with a blanket around her shoulders. The boy left the room and an awkward silence ensued.

"I er…I came by to see if you were ok." He managed weakly.

"Pretend like you care," Elodie said quietly, not looking at him.

"You haven't been at school."

"So first you come round and have a go cos I have a job, and then you try to break my arm in a poxy ballet lesson and now I'm being accused of playing truant."

Blake sighed. He was tired, and didn't have the energy for another argument.

"I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was worried, that's all."

She looked up, slightly shocked. Yet another silence.

"You went down pretty hard in that class and Andie said you were on some pretty heavy pain killers. It's not broken though?" he looked at her arm, spotting the fact that there was no cast.

"No, just badly sprained. Those pills make me sleepy, hence the no school. You can sit down." She waved her good arm at a chair in the corner, and Blake sat down slowly.

"So, you're not leaving then?"

She laughed lightly.

"Not likely. Getting into MSA was like the light at the end of the tunnel for me. I was just gonna opt out of dance."

Blake looked uncomfortable.

"Don't do that."

"Look, Director Collins…"

"On weekends I allow certain students to call me Blake. And if you are going to tell me you can't dance then save it. You have great rhythm and from what I saw there is a lot of potential there. I was just damned angry and took it out on you. I want to apologize."

Elodie looked taken aback. This did not seem his style, but he appeared to be genuinely sorry.

"Is this the white flag?" she asked with a slight smile.

"You could call it that, yes. I don't make many house calls to students, and I certainly don't apologize to them- not even my brother…." He trailed off and looked uncomfortable again.

Elodie pulled her blanket closer around her and looked out of the window.

"I really appreciate the fact that you made an exception to both- it will make it easier to go back in there on Monday. But about the dance…"

"I was thinking, if you want to persevere with it- I really think you should, then I don't mind giving extra lessons after school…"

She thought for a moment.

"That would work if it weren't for Den," she said, looking in the direction of his room. "He comes first."

Blake nodded.

"I figured as much- he could always do his homework in my office with my secretary watching whilst we're in lessons."

Elodie didn't know quite what to say. He had really thought about this, or so it seemed. If the white flag was out then she might as well embrace it.

"What about the whole arm thing?" she said.

"Well we'll leave it until you're better and you can use the time to adjust to the whole thing, get going."

That was that then. All was not lost.

"Sounds good to me," she said finally, smiling at him.

"Great," he smiled back, glad that one weight was off of his mind.

"So, I'll see you in school on Monday…and if you need anything in the meantime….."

She nodded and watched as he rose to his feet and moved toward the door.

"Thanks."

He nodded in return and left, feeling a lot better than when he'd come. The drive home would be a lot safer. That was one issue cleared up. Well, no, not cleared up- it felt like it was one issue developing, just not in a negative way anymore. He was sure that this would not be the end of any kind of struggle with Miss Elodie Garett- as alike Andie West, she was not going to be an easy one. But he felt good about it. Then there was Chase. Things could not continue as they were. If they did, Blake feared that he would lose all he held dear- especially if the dear did not know who they were.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Denny's Birthday

**(Not a very imaginative title for this chapter, sorry).**

"Once more, then you can take a break." Blake put buried his hands in his pockets and continued to circle Elodie as she scowled and began the short routine once more.

"Why do I have to do it again and again?" she moaned.

"Less chatter, concentrate. The idea is that you learn the concept of linking the moves you have learned into a routine. You never perform single moves, always routines." He watched her feet closely as he circled- her footwork had really come on in just a week, and she was beginning to build confidence in herself too. Her new ballet shoes were beginning to lose their 'newness,' and she was holding herself much more elegantly than she had been a week ago. He was pleased with her work and with her attitude. Commitment was half the battle, something she appeared to have grasped early on. She finished and looked at him.

"Break now?" she said pleadingly.

"Hang on," he said, stepping toward her. He took hold of her arms and raised them to the finishing position that he's choreographed.

"I believe that's how we finish, Miss Garett?" he said, letting go and stepping back.

"Oh yeah. I was concentrating so hard on the footwork that I forgot I had arms."

He smiled slightly.

"That's what I'm here for."

The studio doors clattered as Chase and Andie bounded in. Andie was always very energetic- it made Elodie tired just watching her.

"Hey Elle, DC."

Blake looked up.

"What did you just call me?" he asked indignantly.

"DC. Short for Director Collins." She flashed a grin at him and leapt onto a table, where she sat cross legged and dangled her arms over the edge.

He blinked and sighed.

"Come on, Blake, it's better than what she used to call you," Chase piped up.

"What did she used to call him?" Elodie asked, amused.

"I used to call him ass…"

"Ok, Andie, DC is preferable, if you must be dis-respectful." Blake cut her off and switched off the music player. Elodie slid lolled down onto the table next to Andie and sighed, wiggling her toes in their ballet shoes. It felt odd wearing them at first, but she was growing accustomed to it. Blake seemed to be a lot chirpier this week, and was definitely snapping less. He wasn't actually that bad, Elodie thought, when you got to know him. He was different one to one than in a class. Much nicer.

"Hang on, why are you packing away? You said expect to be here till six tonight," she said confusedly as he rammed papers into a sports bag and rolled his sleeves down. He didn't answer, and she noticed that Andie had disappeared. Chase were grinning oddly.

"What's going on?" Elodie jumped down from the table. The studio doors clattered again and Denny ran in.

"Elle!" he shouted, and the lights went out just as he slammed into her and put his arms round her tightly. It was then that she noticed some dim little flickering lights coming toward her. They faintly illuminated Andie's face, as she carried what looked like a giant log on a board. Chase began to sing 'Happy Birthday' with her, although she couldn't see him properly. Denny let go of her and looked thrilled. Elodie could just about make out Blake's face behind Andie. He stood silently in the shadows, a gentle smile crossing his face as he put his hands back in his pockets. Had he planned this? Was he capable of that? The singing ceased and Andie bent down in front of Denny. He stood silently, beaming, and staring at Andie.

"Well go on, blow them out little man," she laughed. He looked up at Elodie questioningly.

She looked back at him, speechless.

"It's your birthday, isn't it?" Andie said, holding out what Elodie now recognized as a chocolate log cake, decorated to represent a caterpillar.

"Go on Den," Elle whispered.

He looked back at Andie, then at the cake. Taking in a huge breath of air he blew at the candles and plunged them all into darkness. Andie and Chase clapped and cheered, Blake clapping quietly in the background. Elodie was too stunned. The lights flickered back on, courtesy of Chase, and she noticed a small pile of presents next to Denny's bag. There were a couple of cards too. Elodie could not speak.

"You ok?" Andie asked quietly as Chase passed Denny a plate and they began a debate over whether they should cut off the caterpillar's head of tail first.

"Yeah," Elle said a little breathlessly. "It's just… well he's only five and the past four birthdays have been… lonely. This is…. Who thought of this?" she brushed a strand of hair from her face, all of a flutter.

Andie grinned and accepted a piece of cake from Blake, who was paying the price for having chosen to cut off the head first as Denny tried hard to pull his trousers down.

"Well I think DC felt bad about being evil in your first ever dance class. He's been skulking around like the incredible hulk for a few weeks, and then he came up with this and we were astounded. Although he left it to Chase and I to organize, he just contributed the idea. I guess he has a soul after all!"

They laughed, watching as Chase picked Denny up by his pants.

"That, ladies, is what I call a wedgie," he said triumphantly as Denny laughed uncontrollably and swung his tiny legs at Chase to absolutely no avail.

"Chase, put the kid down before he's sick on you." Andie rolled her eyes and laughed again. Elodie looked over at Blake, who was sitting quietly on the table next to his bag, and was surprised to find that he was looking back at her. She looked away, feeling her face color slightly. How odd- he was just a teacher, and a mean, snappy difficult one at that. But he did, as Andie had pointed out, apparently possess the ability to be nice. Denny threw himself at her, hugging her with all his might and forcing her to turn her thoughts elsewhere.

Blake watched as the boy hugged his sister so violently that she was flattened against the table upon which she sat. He remembered Chase's tenth birthday- he'd done the same when Blake had gotten him a skateboard, apart from the fact that Chase had flattened him on a concrete path and not a table. It was nice to watch, and he felt some sort of unidentified warmth within him. How odd- she was just another student, and one that couldn't dance at that. But that was wrong- she could dance, he was teaching her to dance, and she was doing well. It occurred to him that when he went home in the evenings, for the past week, he had not left his thoughts at the MSA gates when it came to Elodie and her little brother, as he did with every other student. There was something about her, something that reminded him of himself. Was it his imagination, or had she gone red?

He was glad he'd thought of this, however unlike him it was. It might be the boy's birthday, but somehow he felt like they both deserved it.

"I'm gonna go guys," he said, standing and swinging his bag onto his left shoulder. "I have a staff meeting tomorrow, got some things to look over." He began to walk toward the doors but was considerably hindered by Denny clinging to his leg.

"Thank you Mr. Collins," Denny smiled and gripped his leg harder.

"Er… you're welcome. Happy Birthday."

Chase had to smile as his brother stood awkwardly with a child hanging off of his person, not knowing what to do about it.

"Den, you can let go now buddy." Andie called from the table where she and Andie perched.

Blake looked up at her and looked grateful.

"Like he said," Elodie kept his gaze. "Thanks."

He nodded silently, and left.

Denny crawled up onto her lap and sat there, showing her the little things that he'd found inside the wrapped up parcels. It turned out that in just a week the MSA caretaker had become fond of him and had decided to prove this by giving Denny a 'magic frog' for his birthday.

"Oh man, I'm gonna find that in my bed for the next two weeks," Elodie laughed, gathering Denny's little presents and cards.

"Thanks guys, this was really sweet of you. You don't know what it means to us."

Chase put an arm around Andie and laughed.

"Your little bro is a laugh, Elle. If you're ever short of a babysitter….." he winked and began to help clear up.

Elodie made a mental note to hold him to that, and as they made their way out of the studio a little later, she found herself thinking of her next lesson with Director Collins. Thinking about it, and looking forward to it.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Revelations

Elodie rushed into the studio and slung her bag down on a chair. Blake stood next to the piano, his arms folded and frowning.

"You're late," he said, moving to stand next to the chair where she had deposited her bag.

"I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't find my dance bag." She took out her ballet shoes, moved her bag to the floor and sat down on the chair with a bump. She pulled the shoes on and held her feet out, looking at Blake pleadingly.

"You know, you really need to learn how to do this yourself," he said, frowning again and bending down to tie the ribbons of her shoes for her.

"I will, but like you said, we are late and if I do it we'll get no dance time. My mum always used to do it."

She looked away sadly.

He tucked the end of the ribbon inside of the tied part and stood up awkwardly, not really knowing what to say.

"Well I'll show you again tomorrow and you can go away and practice. But for now, let's warm up."

His cell phone made a noise in his pocket, so he stopped and glanced at the screen. Meanwhile, Elodie reached into her dance bag for her water bottle. As she did so, an unidentified object flew out of it with some force and hit her cheek. The shock of the incident caused her to shriek slightly and lose her balance, and she toppled over. Fortunately for Elodie, Director Collins stood directly behind her, and acted as a convenient break for her fall onto the shiny studio floor. Upon virtually backwards body slamming him she unintentionally discovered that he was bulky and muscular, rather unlike how he looked in his suit. As soon as she had recovered, Elodie scrambled off of him and sat up, looking around. The horror of the situation hit her- she had just…. But why horror? He was just a teacher. Most students dreamed of body slamming teachers.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly.

Elodie nodded hurriedly and tried to hide her embarrassment. Blake stood up quickly and brushed himself down- he was wearing most of the suit he was required to wear as school Director, minus only the jacket. His shirt sleeves were, as usual for a rehearsal, rolled up.

Noticing that Elodie was still on the floor looking curiously at a spot on the floor under the chair, he cleared his throat and held out his hand. She looked up quickly and took his hand, and he pulled her up.

"Are you ok?" she asked him. "I'm really sorry…."

He could not help but chuckle.

"I'm ok; I've done my fair share of falling over in my time."

"Why are you grinning like that?" she asked, intrigued.

"Because you've gone very red, Miss Garett. It wouldn't be embarrassment, would it?"

Elodie put both hands to her face and wished she could run from the room.

"It's possible, but look at it from my point of view- I just threw myself onto my… the director."

Why had she paused before saying his name?

"I would just like to add," she continued, "That my juvenile brother appears to be to blame here." She went over to the chair and bent down to retrieve a small plastic frog. It was the 'magic frog' that Andie and Chase had given him as a gift the night before.

"That's why I couldn't find my bag, and explains why I found it in his room!" she held the frog out as if to try to prove her point. They stood awkwardly, Blake stretching an arm up to rub his neck, and Elodie staring at the plastic frog that she brandished.

"Ahem, well. No harm done. Shall we, perhaps… cram some dance in now?" Blake managed. She shook her head, walked passed him and threw the frog onto a pile of stuff on the table. As she started to stretch next to the mirror, Blake Collins wondered what it was that made him look forward to these afternoon sessions so much, and why he hadn't really minded in the slightest that she should turn up late and then cause them both to end up entangled on the floor. Something about this girl caused him to forget the troubles he faced in every other area of his life- even if it was just for an hour every day.

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Blake sat on the couch, surrounded by photos all over the floor and the coffee table. He had come home with his head too full- how many thoughts could one man think at once? And after Elodie's lesson there was even more to think about. He had come home with the intention of shutting out the world- he'd planned to replace his reality with that of a character in a film. Chase had moved in with him a few months ago, bringing with him his extensive movie collection, and Blake wanted something really trivial and even silly to numb his mind. Upon making his way to the shelf of DVD's however, he had unsettled a pile of Chase's boxes that were yet to be unpacked. The top one had contained photographs, which had rather inconsiderately deposited themselves all over his living room floor and had consequently gotten his attention. Once he had begun looking, remembering, he could not stop. There were hundreds of them- dating right back to when Chase was born and even when he himself was a baby. There was one of him, about three years old, riding a tricycle and looking ready to murder anyone who came near it. So he had been a tense, angry person even at three years old. And another- this time he sat on the table, covered in marshmallow dip, with a two year old Chase on his knee looking up at him. There were several of that kind of thing- Chase looking up at him adoringly. His little brother seemed to want to be in every photograph with him. It forced him to remember how close they had once been, when Chase was younger and he had been…. Different.

"Blake?" he flinched as he heard Chase call him from the hallway, slamming the front door. He appeared in the living room doorway, cradling a pizza box.

"Why did you slam the door?" Blake asked, irritated.

Chase's face fell.

"I didn't, I had my hands full and the wind took it."

"What's that face for?" Blake snapped in his teacher tone.

Chase looked tired and blank.

"You know, bro, I come home every night and hope, just hope that tonight will be different- that tonight you will be the old Blake again, the one who can laugh and who treats me like his brother rather than just a student at his school. But after so many nights, I'm starting to lose hope." Chase looked sadly at him, disappearing into the kitchen with his pizza box.

Blake sat motionless for a few moments on the couch, staring at one of the photos in his hands.

Chase was right. He had to do something before it was too late.

In the kitchen, Chase pottered around clearing the dishwasher. He did not look up as Blake loitered in the doorway.

"You know," his big brother said, "Your favorite game between the ages of two and four was to cover me in marshmallow dip and then try to stick cereal to me."

He strode slowly to the table and laid down the photographic evidence.

Chase paused with a plate in his hand, glancing at it for a moment.

"I miss those days." He said quietly, looking away.

"So do I." Blake sat down heavily in a chair at the kitchen table.

"Do you? You don't act like it." Chase was angry- and had every right to be.

"Chase, when you were a kid, did you look up to me?" Blake asked, not looking at him.

"Yeah, of course I did. But more than that- I loved you man."

"And you don't now?"

"I'm confused by you now. You never say how you're feeling; you just demonstrate it by taking it out on people. Like with the new girl last week, you damned nearly broke her arm. You've changed Blake. Everything is so serious. It's MSA, dance, or nothing with you right now. You're not my brother, you're my freaking headmaster."

Chase slammed the fridge door, the things he had wanted to say for a long time finally winning the battle against his patience.

Blake had gone a strange white color and was gripping the photo on the table.

There was a tense silence.

"Look, Blake, tell me what's going on. I want my brother back."

Blake dropped the photo and looked at the ceiling, leaning back in his chair and covering his face with one hand.

"I don't know where or when this all started, Chase, but I'm sorry it's come to this. I've never been able to talk about stuff like you have. If you had a crap day at school, you'd come home and chat about it with mom on the sofa. I just skulked off to my room and coped. Or so I thought." He paused, staring at a spot on the ceiling.

"Go on," Chase said quietly.

"It's just… well everybody'd got somebody. I guess I've coped on my own for so long… and now I can't get out of that routine. That's what dance has always been about for me. A way of venting, I suppose. Getting rid of what I couldn't say to anyone."

"Why couldn't you?"

"I guess…. Because there wasn't anyone. It's all well and good being at the top Chase, but it's lonely. No-one wants to be friends with you- they want to be you. Either that or they're jealous, bitter, whatever."

Chase was stunned. So that was it. He felt shunned, alone.

"What about me? You could have chatted to me."

"You're my little brother- it's not very manly is it? I'm supposed to look out for you, not burden you. And besides, you have other stuff on your mind. Andie, all these competitions…."

"Blake, just cos I got Andie, doesn't mean I don't want you. You are my brother, and I love you whether you're a grumpy git or a grouchy headmaster or not. You just have to... I don't know, let me in a bit."

Blake smiled strangely and looked back down at the photo.

"Ok, well let's give this another try then?" Chase smiled and they locked eyes for a moment.

"One more thing."

Chase went over to the cupboard above the sink and took out a jar. Blake didn't notice in time, and it was too late when he did. Chase unscrewed the lid, and smeared marshmallow dip across his older brother's face, pausing only to try to stick cereal to it. Blake put up a fight, laughing for the first time in… well he didn't really know how long. Chase laughed too, half sitting on him.

"Come on bro, just like we used to, You said yourself you had to look out for me- well I live here and you have to look after me, and I demand that you play!"

"Chase," Blake half choked, "You are four times the size you were then, and have a considerable amount of muscle tone. This is not playing fair!"

"You got muscle too bro, you just secretly like being covered in dip." His eyes flashed cheekily as he reached for a second jar. Blake twisted in the chair and swung around so that he could reach the ketchup bottle. In all the commotion the photograph on the table fluttered onto the floor, and for the first time in a long, long time, they were brothers again.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The Invitation

"So you literally just… fell on him?" Andie asked incredulously as she and Elodie walked to class.

"Yeah, I was like a demented grasshopper. It was that stupid frog you guys got for Den, he put it in my dance bag, the little monkey. But I proper flattened him, right down on the floor…." She trailed off and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Andie sat down next to her and stared for a moment right at her face.

"Elodie Garett, is there something you want to tell me?"

Elodie's head snapped up.

"No, why?"

Andie smiled sort of knowingly.

"You have gone bright red. Do you have a crush on Director Collins?"

There was a moment of panicked silence, as Elodie tried desperately to think of words that made sense.

"Er… no… he's like, ten years older than me! And… a teacher!"

Andie grinned and shook her head.

"That he may be, but you are nearly twenty and he is hot when he wants to be, I have no trouble admitting it. Just don't tell Chase," she added.

Elodie's mouth opened but nothing came out. She had been trying for a few days to interpret how she was feeling towards Blake, and it wasn't easy. On one hand he intimidated and annoyed her- he was arrogant when he wanted to be, bossy, cold, unemotional and unfeeling, demanding, a slave driver and a tyrant. But on the other hand, he had been so sweet behind the scenes. He'd made a personal visit and apology, given her weeks of personal tutoring just so she could add dance to her career, given up his own time to do so and had thought of Denny's birthday. He was a difficult one to figure out, but part of her- a large, controlling part, wanted to be in afterschool dance lessons all the time, with Blake Collins. It wasn't as simple as a crush.

"You admitting it then?" Andie pressed, leaning on her elbows on the desk.

"I… it's not that simple. It's far too complicated. And anyway, there's a slight problem- a student and a headmaster don't go together conventionally, do they."

Her escape clause arrived in the form of their geography teacher, and Elodie was spared any more questioning for at least the next hour. Right now the details of a rainforest climate were much simpler to think about than what on earth was going on in her life now Blake Collins had entered it.

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After geography, Elodie had made a run for it to avoid any more questions or odd grins from Andie. Blake had cancelled the afternoon's dance lesson, as he had to attend a meeting with several of the governors in his office. Consequently, after school Elodie did not have to dash off to the dance studio, and instead she had hung around aimlessly with Chase whilst Andie attended to 'some business.' Elodie currently perched on a bench outside of the school building with Chase, waiting for Andie to appear. When she did, he kissed her quickly and a play fight ensued.

"No fighting on school property please," said a familiar voice behind them. Elodie tried to ignore the way in which the sound made her chest feel funny.

"What are you gonna do, big bro? Sit on me?" Chase grinned and kept Andie in the headlock she was trapped in.

"No, but I might well expel you," he grinned as he took his car keys out of his jacket pocket and juggled the large pile of files and ring binders he was carrying. Elodie noticed that the air between Blake and Chase was a lot clearer, a lot less tense than it had been yesterday. There was an unfamiliar twinkle in his eye, a warm and friendly twinkle that she had not seen before.

"Put Miss West down before I call the police," Blake joked as Andie yelped helplessly from Chase's armpit. Chase took the liberty of tickling Andie whilst he could in her 'tickly spot' above her hips, and then released her. She stood up and looked slightly shell shocked, her hair sticking up in varying directions.

"You're gonna pay for that Collins," she growled, gathering her books. "Yo, Dickey C, how's things?" she yelled, in the direction of Blake and his car.

Blake had his back to them, but visibly stiffened.

"What did you just call me?" he asked, turning around slowly.

Andie looked innocent.

"Dickey C, short for Director Collins. You see, you always go on at me about remaining professional even though Chase is your brother, but you need a nickname, everyone does. I came up with Dickey C, cos it's short for Director Collins and you have a nickname at the same time. It's a win-win situation."

"No it's not," Blake said, unimpressed. "It's a get expelled situation if you say it one more time."

Andie rolled her eyes.

"Would you stop with the expelled thing already? That's improper abuse of power."

Blake pretended to think, glancing at Elodie for the first time since the conversation had begun. He smiled softly.

"How about you don't call me…"

"Dickey C," Andie helped him out.

"…yes, and I don't expel you or threaten to for at least two weeks?"

Elodie gathered her things and smiled to herself. Blake had changed since the day before- it was almost like he'd discovered a sense of humour. He'd relaxed a lot too, was less tense.

"I think we have a deal, there Di…I mean, Director Collins."

Chase opened the passenger door of Blake's obscenely expensive car and threw his bag into the back, causing his brother to flinch and take a deep breath. He was about to throw himself in the same way, but paused.

"Oh, Elle, you need a ride anywhere?"

She shook her head.

"Nah, it's ok, I need to pick up Den and run some errands in town. Thanks, though," she said, smiling at the three of them as they got into the car. Chase let the window down and hung out of it slightly.

"I forgot to say, but if you're interested Andie and I were going to have a sleepover type thing, but a little less girly, tomorrow evening. You're really welcome to come if you want to, after school- or after your lesson," he said, glancing across at Blake who hadn't looked up from the steering wheel. He was pulling his seat belt on and so turned in the opposite direction. Much to Elodie's irritation- for some reason she found herself wanting to see his reaction to the invitation. How odd, she thought, that she had wanted that.

"Er, yeah, that would be nice," she replied without thinking. "See you tomorrow." Blake started the engine and maneuvered the car out of the school car park, nodding briefly as the car passed her. And she was alone, once again. She was alone too often, nowadays, and a night out would do her good. Even if it meant being in Director Collins' house for a 'sleepover type thing.'

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The Sleepover

Elodie followed Chase and Andie into Blake's house, feeling slightly apprehensive. Over the past few years she had worked and gone to school, spending her free time only with Denny. She had not done anything social in such a long time, and the idea of a 'sleepover' was not one that she was entirely familiar with. Andie seemed to be perfectly comfortable in the Collins house, and Elodie was very glad of her presence as it helped to mask her own awkwardness. The house was lovely- light and airy, and considering the fact that its' two occupants were male, it was surprisingly tidy and clean. It was getting dark, but inside the house it seemed lighter. She followed them through to the living room, where Andie hurled her stuff into a corner and then collapsed on the sofa. Chase disappeared into the kitchen saying something about drinks, and Elodie stood awkwardly in the doorway. She turned in surprise as she heard a noise behind her. Director Collins stood on the bottom stair opposite her, having paused as he'd seen her.

"Oh, er, hello," he mumbled, looking slightly embarrassed. It was weird seeing him in jeans and a short sleeved t-shirt, 'normal' clothes rather than his usual smart suit, and Elodie did not look at him directly.

"Hey," she said, turning her attention instead to a black and white picture that hung next to where he stood on the staircase.

"I… like your house," she added, feeling mildly stupid.

"Thanks, so do I," he replied, shifting his standing position on the stairs.

A moment of awkward silence followed. That was happening a lot lately.

"Well, you guys have a good time, I er… have some things I need to do, so I'll be in my office," Blake lingered for a few more seconds, then turned and made his way back up the stairs silently.

"Hey Elle, come and help me work this DVD player," Andie yelled from the living room.

"And stop flirting with Dicky C," she added quietly as Elodie sat knelt down beside her on the carpet.

Elodie looked up defensively.

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It was always awkward having students in the house, but was inevitable with Chase living there and having MSA student friends. Usually he stayed in his office or in his room to give them some space and relieve them from any intimidation- who wanted to go to a sleepover or whatever with their headmaster there? But Blake had somehow managed to forget that Chase was bringing Elodie home tonight, and he'd unintentionally met her in the hallway and done exactly what he hadn't wanted to- freaked her out and made her feel uncomfortable. It was now ten thirty and there had been plenty of laughing and yelling, but most of it had been Chase and Andie. He hoped Elodie was ok, and that she did not still feel awkward. Student or not, he could not stop thinking about her and now she was in his house. This bizarre situation was, he felt, out of his control. He couldn't control where his mind wandered, and if it wandered her way, then he'd just have to go with it. He really wanted to get his cell phone from the kitchen but he didn't dare in case he should bump into her again. But then, he was expecting a call. He would have to go. Padding quietly down the stairs in his socks, he checked for persons in the hallway. It was clear. He entered the kitchen silently and spotted his cell phone on the table.

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Elodie laughed as Chase did his best impression of Lloyd Grossman, curling her legs up under herself on the sofa. Andie was giggling too, somewhat loudly. Chase pressed eject on the DVD player and changed the film over. She had not realized immediately what a good time she was having. Laughing, talking and watching cheesy films with pizza was a lot of fun, it turned out. For the first time in a long, long time Elodie felt accepted, and wanted. She felt like she fitted in, and finally had friends.

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Blake jumped as he heard a cell phone ring. At first he thought it was his, but knew it wasn't as he heard the strangled cry that followed. It was coming from the living room. He dropped his phone and ran through to the living room. Andie sat bolt upright on the sofa, looking confused and worried. Chase stood next to her looking equally as concerned and holding a cushion in one hand. Elodie was sort of bent over on the sofa, her phone to her ear, looking like she was about to be sick. Suddenly she dropped her phone, which slid to the floor and hit the coffee table leg with a bang. She shot up and looked around herself like a deer caught in the headlights. Andie got to her feet quickly, but wasn't as fast as Blake. He stood in the doorway on purpose, preventing Elodie from running past him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he said in concern, moving so she couldn't dodge him.

She looked even more panicked and tried to get around him.

"It's Denny, he's in the hospital, would you please move? I need to go find him!"

Blake grabbed her shoulders as she attempted to move him, and held her firmly so that she stayed where she was.

"Just wait a second," he said, dodging her flailing arms as she tried to get him off.

"No! I can't! I'm all he has, he must be really scared…."

Andie and Chase shared a worried glance, and Andie moved to try to calm Elodie down. But Elodie was having none of it.

"Get out of my way you moron," she yelled, fumbling for her car keys whilst half attacking Blake.

Blake grabbed her arms and her car keys fell to the floor.

"Andie, grab those keys, would you?" he commanded, and Andie looked at Chase. He nodded and she picked the keys up, stepping back out of Elodie's reach. She was going really crazy now.

"He's all I have, please, just let me go!" she wriggled and writhed but Blake would not let go, and instead told Chase to get the keys to his car and unlock it. Chase did as he was asked, disappearing into the kitchen. Finally Elodie calmed down, realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere. Blake relaxed his grip slightly and looked at her calmly.

"I'm going to drive you to the hospital, no arguments."

Elodie looked up in panic.

"I can drive myself!"

"No you can't," he said sternly, noticing Chase hovering in the hallway.

"Come on, it won't do Denny any good if you kill yourself by driving erratically."

He led her to the car in the drive outside, a hand on her back to make sure she didn't make a run for it to her own car. Andie had the keys anyway, but she was deeply distressed and there was not telling what she might do in a state of panic. He virtually put her in the car and strapped her in, noticing that she was shaking violently. He frowned at her attire- obviously they had put their pajamas on to settle down to the 'sleep' part of the sleepover. He grabbed his thick dance jacket from the back seat of the car and wrapped it around her. She didn't seem to notice- her eyes were wide and she looked totally terrified. Closing the door he sprinted to the driver's side.

"We'll follow," Chase yelled from the house, tugging a jacket on. Blake was doing what Blake did best- taking charge of the situation, and he was glad. He wouldn't have known what to do himself. Blake was the voice of reason and the calm in the storm.

Elodie remained silent. The drive to the hospital was about half an hour, and she just kept looking out of the window and out of the windscreen. She tugged the jacket around tighter around herself, still shaking.

"Did your neighbor say what was wrong with him?" Blake asked carefully, looking in the rearview mirror.

She shook her head and leaned forward in the seat. He was driving as fast as he dared, but he knew it would never be fast enough for her. Denny was all she had, and he had no-one else to care for him. Come to that, he thought, who takes care of her? She is nineteen years old and can't even go to a sleepover without taking the worries of the world with her. She's too young to be a mother, he thought, feeling the fear coming off of her.

"Please let him be ok," she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning over her knees.

He wished he could put his arms around her and tell her that Denny would be just fine. If it weren't for the fact that he was driving, he would have. All thoughts of MSA, of the pressure of work, of dance and of all the crap he'd been dealing with lately vanished momentarily. If Elodie had no-one else to care for her, then he would care for her. For the first time in years he felt that there was someone else as lonely as him, that needed his help. And he would give it, student or not.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Proposition

Blake had to run to keep up with Elodie as she made her way to the reception in the emergency department of the hospital. Upon being intercepted by a rather standoffish nurse, they were asked to wait at reception for a doctor to see them.

"No, you don't understand…" Elodie tried to push past her, and once again Blake took up his position of calm authority. Being director of a school had its uses- he knew how to talk to people and get them to listen to him. The nurse pursed her lips and led them through to a small room with plainly decorated walls and some wilting flowers on the windowsill. After a few minutes, a young doctor in a white coat appeared and sat down opposite them. Elodie's face had turned white.

"Miss Garett?" she asked, and Elodie nodded.

"Your son is….."

"He's not my son, he's my little brother. Don't you people read medical records anymore?" Elodie snapped, tugging Blake's jacket closed around her. Blake laid a hand on her forearm gently, nodding at the doctor to continue.

"I apologize, Miss Garett. Your _brother, _Denny, that's right?"

Again Elodie nodded.

"Denny is being prepped for an operation right now."

"What is it? What's wrong with him?" Elodie looked ready to faint at any minute.

"It's ok, Miss Garett, he has a rather nasty case of appendicitis, and needs an operation to remove his appendix. It's a relatively simple procedure, and Denny should be fine."

Elodie did not look convinced.

"Can I see him?"

The Doctor, whose name badge revealed her name to be Dr. Robinson, nodded and stood up, inviting Elodie to follow her.

"I'm afraid he's asleep at the moment, but you can see him very briefly before he goes to theatre." She opened the door and stepped outside, and Elodie turned to Blake.

"Will….would you come too? I'm really scared, and I don't know who else….."

"Of course," he said quietly, following her out of the tiny room into the corridor, one hand lightly on her back. They were led through some double doors into a large emergency room. Over in the corner Denny lay in the middle of a huge bed, sleeping and motionless. Machines whirred and beeped around him, and doctors bustled around the department as if they did not notice him. Everything around Denny looked huge and intimidating, but maybe that was because he was so small. He looked very vulnerable, lying there in a hospital gown, a blanket covering him to his waist. His little chest moved up and down rhythmically along with the beeps and whirs of the machines, and his arms lay by his sides, a hospital admission band around one wrist. Elodie walked slowly to his bedside, her face contorting with emotions.

"Den," she whispered, taking his little fingers in her own.

Blake could only watch. He could not imagine how she felt- If it were Chase lying there, he would be going out of his mind. But Denny was all Elodie had in the world. Her only family, her whole family. He looked so small and frail, and she must feel so helpless and frustrated. He wished he knew what to say, but he didn't. She looked tired and strained, and gave off the impression that she did not quite know what to do with herself. He noticed a tear roll down her cheek, as she gripped her younger brother's hand tightly.

"Miss? We need to take him now," a kindly old porter said standing opposite her on the other side of Denny's bed.

She looked lost and frightened, but nodded and stepped back, letting go of Denny's hand slowly. The porter wheeled Denny away, accompanied by a doctor holding a clipboard, and they were led to a waiting room once more. Elodie sat down slowly on the small sofa, her eyes half closed and her hands clasped together in her lap. Blake closed the door and let the blind down, then sat down beside her. He had met Paulie, Elodie's neighbor in the hallway, and had sent her home to get some sleep, claiming that Elodie was not up to seeing anyone until they had heard more about Denny's condition. Elodie was grateful- she didn't blame Paulie, but she didn't want to see her and have to reassure her when she was so scared herself.

"Thanks for that," she murmured at Blake, leaning back slightly into the sofa.

"It's ok." He looked sideways at her.

"You can go, you know, I don't want to keep you up all night. You should go home and sleep."

Blake sat back so that he was level with her.

"No way, I'm not leaving you on your own."

She looked up, surprised.

"Why are you being so nice?" she asked, a look of almost agitated confusion crossing her face.

"You are the director of my school, I'm not your responsibility, and neither is Denny. Your job is to better my pathetic attempts at dancing and to yell at me when I get it wrong, so what's with the caring concern? What are you, mother Teresa?" she was getting angry, he could feel it. Well no, it wasn't anger, it was emotion coming out as anger. Much like he tended to, she was lashing out at whoever was around to vent it. He sat quietly and let it run its course.

"One minute you hate me, the next you want me to look totally stupid, then you're all nice and angelic, what the hell are you playing at? And thanks for manhandling me earlier, you know I could have you arrested for that? School directors don't grab students, and bundle them into cars and lock them in. And have your stupid jacket back too…." She began to tear his jacket off, but in her emotion fuelled state she just did not get anywhere. He couldn't watch anymore- she was at breaking point. Not knowing what else to do, he leant forward and pulled her into a tight hug. She struggled and wriggled, trying to escape it, the jacket half on and half off, and then as suddenly as it had come on, the anger subsided and she was still in his arms. She was silent for a few minutes, making no effort to hug him back. He kept one arm around her and with the other; he gently pulled the jacket back around her shoulders. She took a deep breath and exhaled, and hugged him back tightly. Her hands balled into fists and she gripped his shirt front tightly in them, her chest rising and falling erratically.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, leaning on him even more, afraid that he'd get up and walk away.

"I know, I know," Blake murmured, leaning back on the sofa and taking her with him, indicating that he had no intention of going anywhere.

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**Bit intense there, sorry guys. Next one will be lighter, I promise! Reviews appreciated……**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Aftermath

It had been a few weeks since Denny's admission to hospital, and he was recovering from his operation fast. Elodie sighed as she reached for a bowl from the cupboard above her head, filling it with chocolate ice cream from the freezer. Den certainly knew how to milk the situation for all it was worth, but after the ordeal they had been through in the past few weeks, she was ready to do anything to make sure he was comfortable, safe and happy. Having handed Denny his ice cream and the TV remote, she heard a knock at the door. She ran to get it, and could not hide her disappointment when she saw Chase standing there. He smiled apologetically, his hands in his pockets.

"Chase, hey," she said, making an effort to force her face into a friendly smile.

"Hey, you guys OK? Just thought I'd come and check, hope you don't mind," she let him in and closed the door behind him.

"We're fine," Elodie said, tucking Denny's blanket in under him on the sofa.

"Ice cream?" Denny brandished a loaded spoon at Chase, who laughed and shook his head.

"I'm OK thanks mate, just had lunch with Blake…"

He saw Elodie's eyes flicker at the name, and wandered what he should say.

Elodie was annoyed. For two weeks he had semi-ignored her at school, with awkward corridor meetings and silent half hearted smiles across the room. He made little or no effort to speak to her, and had not called or visited since Denny had come home. Had she read it all wrong? Perhaps the night at the hospital had been just that, a night at the hospital where she had let her emotions run her, and he'd simply picked up the pieces and left it at that. She had thought- hoped, that it was more. She hadn't liked the man at first, 'obnoxious cretin' was what she'd put him down as, but then…. Then she'd been stupid. She'd glimpsed a different side of him and had wanted to cling to it, and had allowed herself to hope. Silly really- how many nineteen year old students dated their school director? But how many school directors would have done what Blake Collins had done for her that night? He'd gone way beyond his call of duty.

"How is Blake?" she managed, realizing that Chase had been watching her as her thoughts took over.

He looked sideways and nodded. "He's OK; tense again, he's being a bit of a bully."

"When is he coming to see us?" Denny piped up, looking at Chase hopefully.

"Er, I'm not sure, soon probably."

"Have I said or done anything wrong?" Elodie could not help herself.

Chase looked uncomfortable.

"No, no way, he'd just… being him."

"Oh. Only, he was so….. involved that night at the hospital, and then…. Nothing." There was a pause. "It's ok you know, if he's lost interest or something, or if he just doesn't want to go there. We are kind of used to it."

Chase felt rotten and useless, and could only make feeble excuses for his brother. But this could not go on.

And the confusion just kept on coming.

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Blake slammed the filing cabinet drawer shut and threw several files backwards onto his desk. He had seen her again that morning, at her locker in the corridor talking to Andie. She looked pale and drawn, and was engaged in a conversation. He'd looked away before she could notice him staring, and had retreated briskly to his office. Running away was not working. He could not stop thinking about her, and seeing her and not being able to explain, just watching her confusion and hurt was driving him insane. He didn't look up when his younger brother stormed into the office.

"You have to stop this," Chase stated matter of factly.

"Stop what?" Blake said flatly.

Chase rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Come on man, don't act like that with me, I know you. Elodie."

"Chase, I've known the girl for a matter of weeks, and she's a student. I'm over ten years her senior and I'm the headmaster of her school. Can you think of a single reason as to how it would be right to let anything develop with her?" he threw himself down into the chair at his desk and rammed a drawer open. Chase put his hands on his hips.

"So you are ignoring her because it's the 'right thing' to do? Because of what the governors will say? Or the press? Is that it?"

Blake stood up furiously.

"I couldn't care less about the bloody governors or the press, it's her, everything is her. I can't lead her on and ruin her life. What will people say when she scores well in exams? 'It's because she's with director Collins.' And when she gets better grades than them? Every time she gets anywhere they will look past her abilities and say it was me that put her there. I can't let her throw herself away."

Chase was silent.

"Do you not think this is breaking my heart as well? I may have only known her a few weeks, but she's unlike anyone else I have ever known. Her and that kid brother of hers own my every waking thought at the moment, and that night at the hospital….." he trailed off and walked slowly to look out of the window. He sighed quietly, his hands on his hips.

"I have to do what is right, as a responsible adult."

Chase snorted.

"Sod responsible. She's hurting now because of a mistake that you made. You need to put this right bro. For what it's worth, she's going as crazy as you are."

Blake looked at him and his face softened.

"Plus, you have been a right git to live with since you last saw her, and I can't stand that forever more. You screwed up Blake, you should have handled the whole thing a lot better than you did, but that doesn't mean you can't put it right. Find her, and talk to her. Either explain that you plan to do 'the right thing,' or do what you know you want to do and deal with the consequences when they come."

He turned to leave and hoped he'd said enough.

"Chase?"

Chase turned back to his brother, who looked worried.

"What will she say?"

He grinned.

"Blake, I can't imagine why any girl in her right mind would fall for you, but it would appear that this one is incapable of getting back up she fell so hard."

Blake almost smiled as he remembered the frog incident in the dance studio.

"It's up to you where you take this, and who has to know, but trust me, you don't have anything to worry about." With that he left, having chosen to leave out the part about Elodie being quite possibly quite angry at him. He'd find out soon enough.

Watching his brother's retreating back, Blake Collins took a deep breath and made a decision that he knew would change his life.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The Letter

Elodie walked slowly to Director Collins's office, wondering why he had summoned her there. His secretary had called her out of class upon his request, and she was about to find out why.

"Ah, Miss Garett," he said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. The secretary disappeared and he relaxed visibly.

"Elodie," he said in a much quieter voice.

She looked at the floor and ignored him.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked. "Is Denny OK?"

She did not look up.

"He's fine. Ate a whole tub of ice cream all by himself." She shifted her standing position awkwardly and clutched her folders to her chest.

"Sit down," he waved an arm absent mindedly at a chair opposite his at the desk, but she remained standing.

"I just wanted to explain why…"

"I understand." She cut him off and looked up at last.

"What?" he looked confused.

"Look, you've only known me a few weeks. You made it big here, Director Collins." He flinched at the sound of her using his formal title.

"You have everything- your success, fame, family and an awesome job. I don't want to ruin things for you, and I'm not worth it for you to lose all of that. I understand. Thanks for everything- for giving me a chance at this school, for all the extra classes, and for being there that….night at the hospital. "

She smiled sadly and turned toward the door.

"Elodie…."

"I'd better get back to class, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm transferring to a music school the other side of town- dance never really was my thing."

That wasn't the reason for the transfer and they both knew it. Elodie had decided that it would be easier for them both to pretend nothing had happened if they didn't keep meeting in hallways.

"Thanks again, Director, and…. Take care."

Blake stood motionless by the window watching her walk away. He wanted to stop her, but had no idea what to do. He turned to the window and looked out, then clenched his jaw and slammed the window sill with his fist.

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Elodie had not cried properly in a long time, but upon reaching the door of the block of flats where she lived, she could not help herself. She cried all the way up in the lift, and only just had enough self control to stop and retrieve her fake smile for Denny's sake when she reached their door. Letting herself in, she took a deep breath and dumped her stuff on the floor near the door.

"Den?" she called. "Paulie?"

Her neighbor greeted her in the hallway, Denny running out to hug her knees as usual.

"Are you ok Elodie?" her kindly old neighbor asked, her concern evident in her voice. "You look awful."

Elodie nodded.

"It was just a long day. But it's over now."

Denny pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. Her name was written on the front, in a strange, slanted handwriting.

"What's this?" she asked, taking it and studying the writing.

"He said I had to give it to you. Especially me, it was a special job."

"Who did?" Elodie looked concerned.

"Mr. Blake."

Her throat tightened. How could a man she had only known for a few weeks have this much effect on her? Was this a wind up? Maybe it was Chase's stupid idea of a joke, or an attempt at match making. Frowning, she tugged a pile of papers out of her school bag and flipped through them until she came to the form he'd filled out to permit her to stay off school with Denny last week. The handwriting matched. It was unmistakably his slanted scrawl. He wasn't going to make this easy then. She looked at the ceiling, swallowed the lump in her throat and gripped the already crumpled letter.

"Do you want a minute sweetie?" Paulie asked, taking Denny's hand.

Elodie didn't want to speak, and instead gave a little nod.

Paulie led Denny back into the kitchen and closed the door. Elodie looked down at the letter, rubbing the sleeve of her jacket across her face to get rid of the tears that impaired her vision. She opened the letter carefully and slowly, unfolding it and sliding to the floor, her back against the wall.

Feeling tired and lonely, she began to read.

_Dear Elodie,_

_I have no idea how to say any of this to you, and I have tried several times, but I can't find the words. I hope you will read this letter and discover what I have tried so hard to tell you. It is true that we only met a few weeks ago, but that changes nothing about how I feel. So here goes._

_I am sorry for the way I have treated you, for almost breaking your arm and embarrassing you, for being short with you, and for confusing you. As well as being sorry, I must thank you. You have shown me many things that need to change, and mistakes that I needed to put right. Because of you, I have salvaged my relationship with my brother, and arguably my career- as was proved in the dance class where you fell down, it was only a matter of time before my anger and frustration caused some real damage. Because of you I have seen a different side of life, a side that I did not want to face anymore and that I have been running from for a long time. The truth is, as I am sure you understand, that when you have gone so long without loving someone, it is hard to recognize love if it comes around again._

Loving someone?

_Whilst I have known you for such a short time, I cannot help but think of you and Denny constantly, and whilst I am reluctant to diagnose love, I cannot deny that if you were to go, I fear the breaking of many a student's arm would follow. I know that this situation is difficult- unbelievably so, and I realize that I am asking a lot of you. But I have faced worse. What the governors and indeed the general public don't know can't hurt them-and if it does, I find myself not giving a damn. What I am trying to say is, that I want you to stay at MSA, to stay with me. _

Suddenly the kitchen door flew open and Paulie appeared. Elodie looked up at her, not trying to hide her tears anymore.

"He…left this as well, Elle." Paulie passed her a dark blue sports jacket, which Elodie recognized as the one he'd wrapped her in at the hospital. She took it, watched Paulie go back into the kitchen and looked back at the letter.

_I can't keep the jacket, it smells of you, and I can't bring myself to wash all trace of you away by cleaning it. So if you want to walk away, and I wouldn't blame you, take the jacket, cremate it, whatever, and take care of yourself and that brother of yours. If not, if you want what I want, then know that there is a very silly Director sitting in his back garden waiting to find out. There is a home for you here if you want it, and perhaps, I have a feeling, that both of us could learn to love again. I certainly could, with your help. So I will wait here, and leave the decision to you. _

_Blake_

She sat for a moment, clutching the letter tightly. She'd had no idea it went that deep. At first it was just a protection thing, a shoulder to lean on when she had no-one else. But reading his words she realized that the reason for her tears was that she was feeling what he was feeling. The man was a git at the best of times, was a teacher- worse, head teacher, was over ten years her senior, and was a social nightmare. But he understood. Everything. He understood loneliness, hardship, the struggles that life presented to one without love and he saw in her what she now saw in him- a way out of it all. She realized now that the reason she had looked forward to extracurricular dance lessons was that it meant she had one hour a day less take on the worries of the world, and hour in which someone else was in charge and would support her. And he, unlike so many before him, understood and wanted the job permanently. Calling out to Paulie she stood up and opened the door.

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The Garden

Blake wandered along the patio in his back garden, his hands in his pockets. He had not changed out of the suit his job required him to wear at school, but had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows and had taken off his tie, unbuttoning his collar so he could breathe again. It was six o'clock- she must have read it gotten it by now. Perhaps she hadn't bothered to read it, and had made up her mind already. Or maybe she had read it, and wanted nothing to do with him regardless. He would wait though, just in case. Chase and Andie were out, so he didn't feel quite as stupid as he would have had they been there to watch. He stopped next to the huge oak tree that grew at the end of his garden, looking up at it.

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Elodie slammed the gears in her car around clumsily in her haste to make it to the Collins house. She could remember just about where it was- the night of the sleepover she had followed Chase and Andie home, but the other drivers on the roads were not making it easy to remain calm. After what seemed like an age, she pulled up in the street, avoiding the driveway in case she lost her bottle. She sat for a moment in the car with the engine switched off, gazing at the house out of the window. Was this really what she wanted? Blake Collins? They were so different, and he was so intense and difficult to work out. Her eyes fell upon the letter that she had thrown onto the front seat next to her. One way or another, she was about to find out. She got out and closed the car door quietly, not wanting him to know she was there. She tip toed along the side of the house, noting the absence of Chase's car. So he was alone. Reaching the side gate she stopped. It was half open, and she could just about make out a figure standing by the oak tree. Peering further around the gate she watched him for a few minutes. He had taken off his tie- he didn't do that very often, only when he was stressed or tired.

How did she know that?

He perched on the edge of the garden table and looked up at the leaves rustling in the breeze. She couldn't see his face, but his muscles all appeared to be tensed, giving away his mood. His shirt sleeves were rolled up- even his forearms looked tensed. Did this really matter that much to him? Taking a deep breath she stepped forward into the garden.

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He did not see her at first, and she stopped a few yards short of the table, unsure of what she was going to say.

"You came then," he said quietly, not turning around, remaining totally still.

"I did," she replied, hoping that her voice did not convey her surprise.

"Nice tree," she added feebly.

"Thanks. I like it too."

This was ridiculous. They were talking about the tree.

Finally he moved. He stood up slowly and turned on the spot, not looking at her face, but at just past her.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" she said quietly, trying to catch his eyes.

"I said everything I wanted to in my letter. You know, or you do if you read it, which you must have because you are here, how I feel. Now it's up to you."

He still refused to look directly at her.

"Blake, I can't just go ahead and ruin your career," she said carefully.

"But you want to?"

She sighed.

"It's not as simple as that."

He was looking at her strangely.

"You're wearing it."

"What?" she was confused. He was not acting like Director Collins.

"My jacket. You're wearing it."

She was. She had pulled it on absent mindedly in her hurry, the weather having turned in the past few days. She'd left her flat without a coat, and had his jacked in her hands so had put it on. She hadn't thought about it. It smelled of him.

He approached her slowly and withdrew his hands from his pockets. Elodie did not move, but stood silently as he stopped in front of her. They were almost touching. She kept her eyes down, level with his chest. Blake reached his hand out to her shoulder and pulled up the jacket lightly where it had slipped down, and her heart beat furiously, so loud she was convinced he could hear it. He left his hand on her shoulder and moved a centimeter closer.

"So have you decided?" he half whispered, causing a shiver to run down her neck.

Without even thinking about it, she had decided.

"Yes," she whispered back.

She abandoned her search for words, and instead closed the gap between them, cuddling into his chest. He seemed mildly shocked, and did not hug her back immediately. But when he did no question remained in Elodie's mind, and words were not necessary. They stood for a few minutes, hugging beneath the oak tree.

"So?" Blake said. His voice vibrated in his chest, tickling Elodie's ear slightly.

"Don't make me spell it out for you Blake, I was kind of going for 'obvious' with the whole hugging thing." She went to step back, but he grinned and caught her, meeting her eyes finally.

"Just checking."

She smiled back, and laid a hand on his chest.

"So does this mean you won't give me such a hard time in dance classes?" she asked, playing with his shirt collar. "Or try to break my arms anymore?"

He raised his eyebrows, still grinning.

"No, but it does mean that you get even more extra special lessons, one to one."

Elodie laughed and tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he would not let her go.

"Is there a reason you won't let me free?" she said, pausing in her wriggling to look up at him.

"Only so I can do this."

He leaned forward slightly and kissed her cheek lightly, not moving away immediately, and Elodie was sure in that instant that she had made the right decision. She lingered in his arms for a few minutes, remembering the words in his letter. He might not be the most simple of human beings, or the easiest to please, but if one thing was sure about him, he understood.

"You know, Blake Collins, you are an arrogant, moody, difficult individual with one heck of a temper and some problems with people skills, but I do believe I have fallen for you," Elodie giggled as grabbed her waist and lowered her into a salsa type falling lift, looking down at her with a smile.

"I thought as much. If I were in the business of falling, which, considering my professional achievement and reputation, I obviously am not, I, Elodie Garett, would have fallen for you too. Instead I just have to live with you taking up an unhealthy amount of space in my mind every day."

She knocked the leg he was leaning her on and they both tumbled ungracefully to the floor laughing.

Blake had learned to laugh again, and to love again.

Elodie had learned to let herself be loved again.

And as they lay, side by side and hand in hand on the patio in the evening sun, they knew in the silence that life would never be the same again.

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**I have left it there because I am leaving the country for a week and don't like leaving stories hanging, but I shall do another Blake/ Elodie story, or some oneshots with them, because I have enjoyed writing it so much. Thanks to all reviewers, especially those committed ones- you know who you are. And thanks to Twannee, without whom I simply could not write Blake stuff. **

**I have an idea for another Blake/OC story too, so in a week's time, watch this space and I will fill it all up with more Blakiness. Thank you and goodnight.**

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